🛞 Flat Happens: Teaching My Kid to Change a Tire Without Crying (Much)

Thanh Ong
6 days ago
2 min read

Welcome back to DIYDadQuests, the blog where every unexpected car repair is just another chance to build character, stress-sweat, and… hopefully not lose a finger.

So there we were, cruising down the road, radio on, snacks flowing freely…when suddenly—thumpa-thumpa-thumpa. The car started wobbling like it was doing the Macarena on one side.

Pulled over. Got out. Looked at the tire.

“Well, that’s flatter than my dad jokes at a middle school talent show.”

My kid peeked out and asked:

“Do we need to call a tow truck?” “No, son. We need… a wrench and a can-do attitude.”

🛠️ Dad’s Tire-Changing Kit

Jack
Lug wrench
Spare tire (buried under three umbrellas and a frisbee from 2007)
Work gloves (optional—real dads use their regret)
A child to say “That looks dangerous” every 5 minutes
And… the sacred Dad Squat (used to stare at the tire like you’re solving a crime scene)

🧑‍🔧 Step-by-Step (or "How Not to Get Run Over")

1. Park Like a Pro

Pulled far off the road. Hazards on. Told my kid, “Safety first.” He nodded… then stood directly in front of the flat tire holding a juice box.

2. Loosen the Lug Nuts

Before jacking it up—always loosen those lug nuts.(Repeat after me: Lefty loosey, righty tighty… unless your car hates you.)I handed the wrench to my kid. He tried. He grunted. He failed.

I said the words every dad says in this moment:

“It’s pre-loosened. I’ll just finish it.”

3. Jack It Up

We found the jack point (after some dramatic crawling).Cranked it up slowly, confidently, with occasional grunts for effect.

Reminded my kid not to crawl under the car unless he wanted to meet the ghost of that 1996 Corolla that didn’t make it.

4. Swap the Tire

Old one off, new one on.I spun the lug nuts on like a pro, tightened them in a star pattern, and explained torque for 12 minutes until my child went emotionally flat.